In Spite Of All The Danger
by OhHowDemonsRan
Summary: Before there was war, betrayal and death, there was light and hope. Before there was The Boy Who Lived, there was James Potter and Lily Evans. And this is the story of their love. [ full summary inside / september 1976 to october 1981 ]
1. Prologue

**Title:** In Spite Of All The Danger

**Full Summary:** Before there was war, betrayal and death, there was light and hope. Before there was The Boy Who Lived, there was James Potter and Lily Evans. And this is the story of their love. It is, however, more than just that. It's a story of friendship, of growth, of learning to live and learning to love. It is a story of two people who happened to save the world through the sheer strength of their love. And this, my friends, is how it all came to be.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Harry Potter universe, nor any of the canon characters featured in this story. I do own, however, any non-canonical events, and / or my personal view and portrayal of the characters, especially the ones mentioned only by name in the books. Any resemblances to real people / events and other pieces of Fanfiction are purely coincidental.

**Main Character Casting:** You can find the list of people I envision playing each main character on my profile! Other character castings will be updated as we meet them.

**Author's Note:** Hello, world! Ah, I suck at introductions but I hope you enjoy this little prologue (short, I know, but chapter one is almost three times as long) and hope you hear lovely things from you. The first official chapter of this story will be posted tomorrow / friday, depending on how quickly I can finish some edits but, after that, I'll be posting one chapter per week. The day I'll be releasing them will be decided by the time I post chapter one, don't worry. I hope you enjoy this, truly! Happy reading!

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><p><strong>Prologue – " Of Staircases &amp; Redheads "<strong>

"I meant it when I said I didn't believe in love at first sight. It takes time to really, truly fall for someone. Yet I believe in a moment. A moment when you glimpse the truth within someone, and they glimpse the truth within you. In that moment, you don't belong to yourself any longer, not completely. Part of you belongs to him; part of him belongs to you. After that, you can't take it back, no matter how much you want to, no matter how hard you try."

— _Claudia Gray, **A Thousand Pieces of You**_

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><p><em><strong>august 1978<strong>_

She would always argue that they knew nothing, those people who shot them disapproving glances and whispered loudly when they saw them holding hands; a pureblood and a mudblood to some, the playboy and the good girl to others. She would always argue that whatever they thought they knew was but a blurry image of reality, a picture twisted by perceptions and loudly whispered gossip that had followed them from thick stone walls to a raging war.

It mattered not that her blood wasn't as noble and ancient as his, that her voice was loud and accent improper for a woman soon to be married to a Potter, that their love was seen by many as a facade. It mattered not that he'd been labeled a lady's man during their times at Hogwarts or that she'd been labeled a prude, that they'd bickered their way through five years at school or that, when they finally got together, people swore it wouldn't last – he'd get bored of her, she wouldn't be able to tame him and the whole affair would end in tragedy and tears. It was all lies. Because those people, the ones who vowed that they held the truth upon meeting anyone willing to hear it, didn't know them or their love. They didn't know how romantic he was, so much more so than her, and how he loved to cuddle up against her as she fell asleep. They didn't know his love for drawing, didn't know just how truly intelligent the man was, how kind and genuine his actions were, always.

They didn't know that when she woke up at the crack of dawn to open the shop and dragged herself out of bed, careful not to wake him, sometimes strong arms wrapped themselves around her waist and pulled her back; lips travelling over her neck, trapping her in his embrace. They didn't know the gentleness of his touches or the passion of his kisses, didn't know how they constantly fought for dominance – a dance that never lacked music, a need to make the other burst into flames before they, themselves, were consumed – and laughed no matter what the outcome. They didn't know that James slept like a rock and Lily spoke in her sleep or that he'd occasionally wake up to pull back the covers she'd stolen. They didn't know the first thing about them and, because of that, the words they uttered pained her not. By now, she mused as green eyes met the diamond ring on her finger, those words even made her laugh.

They'd grown together, anyone could testify to that, and to those who thought of her as a victim, as a naïve little girl who'd played with the big bad wolf and allowed herself to get swallowed; all the witch could do was shrug her shoulders. There was no denying that they hadn't always gotten along while at Hogwarts; that they'd shared heated arguments from time to time or that she'd frown at his jokes, wrinkle her forehead at his questionable choice of girls to date, but there had been moments during those long years that had changed her view of James Potter.

Moments that had been small and seemingly meaningless and that still brought a smile to her lips when she thought of them. Moments that, in one way or another, had made her love him completely, with every fiber of her being.

_**september 1971**_

At the age of eleven, Lily Evans was nothing but a scared little girl who hid behind a mask of superiority and judgment. Having been sorted into the house of one Godric Gryffindor less than two days prior, her surroundings were still strange and the people even stranger; she still felt silly holding her wand or talking about the pretty dark haired teacher that could turn into a cat, out of place and less than those who knew what they spoke of – purebloods, they were called – just like Severus had taught her. Perhaps it had been the way she looked at her peers, green eyes filled with distrust and the smallest spark of fear, but she still hadn't made any proper friends and, when she slept in and had to get ready in a hurry (without mummy there to fix her breakfast or comb her hair), red locks pulled into a tight bun and her potions textbook secured under her tiny arm, Lily found herself getting lost inside a maze of staircases, moving pictures and the occasional ghost that managed to make her squeal like an idiot.

It wasn't that she didn't know where the dungeons were, it was just that nerves were quick to take over her; breathing quickening and the worst of scenarios running through her young head, and she knew not if her new teacher would pardon her tardiness. What if she got detention? She'd only just gotten there! People would surely start to dislike her and she'd be left all alone in a world she didn't know and Severus would find better friends and, as usual, she'd think of herself as an even bigger failure (because she wasn't strange enough already). Therefore, it wasn't usual that when the staircase she'd been running down on started shaking and changing its position, the small ginger found herself toppling down stone steps, book and all, just to fall on her bum at the bottom of the stairs; cheeks turning red and tears filling her emerald eyes out of rage, embarrassment and the sharp pain in her behind.

Lily hadn't expected to hear laughter reach her ears or see a small black-haired boy walk up to her, his face twisted into an amused grin but his hand held out for her to take. She knew who he was, they were both in Gryffindor and had met on the train, but she hadn't quite decided what she felt about James Potter – he didn't seem like the nicest of boys, not modest and quiet like Sev or calm and relaxed like daddy. He'd laughed when she'd fell and yet seemed willing to help. With a wrinkle of her nose and a careful eyeing of the boy's hand, the witch took it; pulling herself up and dusting off her grey skirt, their fingers intertwined for mere seconds before she pulled away and shot him a thankful smile.

In return, he bent down and picked up her book, handing it back and running his fingers through his black curls that, Lily noted with a bit of amusement, seemed as difficult to control as her own. "You alright there, Evans?" His voice broke her away from her thoughts, the previously fallen book now tightly clutched to her chest when she nodded and started walking past him – surely an attempt to seemed composed and superior after such a shameful situation – head held as high as she possibly could. "Of course I am, Potter. I think I may have tripped, nothing special, really."

"Uhm… Evans?"

With an eye roll and a heavy sigh (for she'd always been fond of being a dramatic individual and boys were rather strange beings, loud and cocky, that she thought of as a bit dim), Lily turned on her heel, far more grateful for his presence than she'd ever let on, raising an eyebrow at his grinning expression. "What?"

James stuffed his hands into his pockets, shrugging his shoulders slowly like he owned the bloody world and everyone in it; the way he held himself intimidated her, the ginger realized, for while she had attempted to seem confident and failed miserably, he just was so without any effort. He'd already made friends and she was alone except for Severus. Maybe she could learn a thing or two from him, right?

"The dungeons aren't that way."

The day had ended with her practicing a hex a Ravenclaw girl (Marlene, her name was) had taught her on Potter after he'd "accidentally" spilt pumpkin juice over her head; that other boy, Sirius Black, laughing at her before she turned her wand on him too (detention number one for the little redhead), and even though that was when Lily decided she was rather irked by James, she would never be able to forget the little moment – the first moment – they shared.


	2. To New Beginnings

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Harry Potter universe, nor any of the canon characters featured in this story. I do own, however, any non-canonical events, and / or my personal view and portrayal of the characters, especially the ones mentioned only by name in the books. Any resemblances to real people / events and other pieces of Fanfiction are purely coincidental.

**Author's Note: **Hello again, and welcome to chapter one of my story! I'll be completely honest with you guys, I don't know just how long / short it is but I wrote as much as I thought was necessary. It isn't a very action filled chapter, I'm afraid, as my main goal was to introduce you guys to Lily (whom this story will follow closely) and inform you of what has been happening in her life. Of course, it's also a build-up for something you'll see later on, which I'm completely flailing about! Worry not, I'll be having a lot more dialogue and active characters starting from next chapter, but this one was truly needed. Expect more Jily fun stuff next chapter, sodifhiosfg, it's all so very exciting.

New chapters will be added_** every Friday**_ (though they might come sooner if I'm feeling particularly inspired)! Reviews are welcomed and reviewers will be tackled with love.

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><p><strong>Chapter One – "To New Beginnings"<strong>

"The world is full of hopeful analogies and handsome, dubious eggs, called possibilities."

– _George Eliot, **Middlemarch**_

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><p><em><strong>september 1976, Petunia Evans' car<strong>_

The air was warm, comfortable against pale skin, reminding her of the summer that had passed and of afternoons well spent – the sun wasn't strong, clouds were beginning to fill the sky and would soon threaten to burst and soak those who lived their lives peacefully below but, for the time being, September was kind. It was one of her favourite months, she'd have to say, as it marked the end of one thing and the start of another – cycles, they were, and life was positively filled with them. It was nice to be reminded of said cycles through summer's last breezes instead of heartbreak and loss. She'd always been fond of any changes that weren't directly related to her. With a sigh, tired eyelids were forced open and sunlight hit green eyes, almost drawing a groan from the owner of said eyes who managed to control herself before the woman next to her barked some witty remark (though witty only to her, of course) about unlady-like sounds and how Lily should learn to be proper. Yeah, right.

The radio hummed quietly but, as a new song started playing, the young witch moved to turn the volume up a bit, only to have her hand slapped and the sound muted – again, it started, even if Lily had hoped they'd spend the trip without biting each other's heads off. A girl could hope, aye?

"That was rude, Petunia." She remarked, crossing her arms and leaning back on the leather seat of her sister's new car, preparing herself for whatever was coming, which was bound to not be very good.

The blonde snorted, turning her attention to her baby sister only to shoot her a death glare and move her gaze back to the road, lips pursing ever so slightly. "If you don't know how to behave yourself in _**my**_ car then that wasn't rude, it was a lesson. I'm doing you a favor, you might as well respect my wishes."

"Do tell me when you've ever said that you didn't want me to turn the volume up, I must have missed it. And I am behaving myself, aren't I? I haven't done any magic in here; you ought to be proud of me. I'm controlling myself." In reality, she knew she should have kept her mouth shut but, all in all, Lily knew just how to get Petunia angry and she liked doing so, even if she ended up feeling horrid for upsetting her own sister – it was routine by now. Any mention of magic would drive the young woman up the walls and even if it wasn't a very nice thing to do, it was always amusing when her sister's face went red and her eyes seemed to bulge from her head. No one knew how to get Lily's bad side to show its ugly head quite like Petunia Evans.

As expected, Petunia seemed as if she was about to burst but instead of snapping at the younger girl, she merely pursed her lips tighter and ignored the comment; she knew they'd be out of each other's hair in no time and perhaps she'd decided that it was just easier to pretend Lily didn't exist. It was a game Petunia played well, pretending she didn't have a sister, pretending said sister (when she was forced to acknowledge her existence) wasn't a witch, pretending that the Evans' were a perfect family and she the model daughter, pretending anything and everything that made her feel better about reality. Sometimes, she thought to herself as red curls fell over her face and her eyes were firmly shut again, Lily liked to pretend too. The truth was, for the longest time, the blonde had been everything the witch had hoped to be in every way possible – she'd wanted the pretty blonde hair, the big brown eyes, her father's face and an average height. She'd longed for a softer accent (as she'd been far too stubborn to drop hers), for a quieter temper and a darker complexion. Unfortunately, she'd been graced with her mother's looks – dark red hair, bright green eyes, skin as pale as can be and a lack of tallness she couldn't stand. If you combined that with her fiery temper and tendency to say the wrong thing at the wrong time, it was impossible for Lily to ever be the daughter that Tuney was; she'd never be quite so gentle or quite so proper. So, sometimes she pretended that the long mass of unruly curls that sat atop of her head was instead silky and yellow, that her mother didn't frown when she snapped out some hypocritical remark or that her father didn't have to sigh and break another argument apart (even if he did wink at his youngest after Violet had calmed her temper).

That wasn't to say that their home life was bad, not at all, but Violet and Lily were far too alike to get along properly – she was a daddy's girl through and through and she couldn't help but be relieved that summer was finally over and that she'd soon be back at Hogwarts – her home, her safe haven. Out of all the summer holidays she'd spent at home, this had been the best and the worst at the same time – she'd finally gone out and done things, experienced things, stayed up all night with muggle kids her age and snogged handsome boys, snuck home at seven in the morning walking backwards (because if her parents came down the stairs, she'd just tell them she was leaving and run out of the door) and tried the things all the cool kids were trying. It was also the first summer she'd spent without Severus and she wasn't quite sure how she felt about that. Knowing that he was there if she wanted to forgive him; that she could make everything better again in a few minutes if she wanted to was far too tempting – oh, she wanted to say everything was alright and welcome that boy back into her life but she simply couldn't. Her pride roared too loudly, her heart ached too much; she was hurt, betrayed even, and allowing herself to be around the Slytherin wasn't going to do either of them any good. At least that's what she told herself. If she stayed away for long enough, maybe he'd see that she was serious and drop all the dark magic nonsense. That word, however, she'd never be able to erase from her mind – not having come from his lips.

The thoughts were shaken from her mind as the car stopped humming underneath her and a hand roughly poked her shoulder; meeting King's Cross station as a wave of relief and excitement washed over her. She didn't bother to say anything to her sister, it'd just end up in tragedy and, instead, the witch rushed out of the door (slamming it quite loudly, just because she could) and got her trunk from the backseat, the owl's cage gripped tightly in her free hand – Cathy, the poor thing, startled at the change of environment. A smile was directed at the older girl as she walked away, getting nothing in return and, just like that, Lily was off. And, ladies and gentlemen, she was back.

**_september 1976, platform 9 ¾_**

The Hogwarts Express, red and majestic, caused something to bubble inside of her but, as always, her attention shifted rather quickly – the platform was filled with little witches and wizards nervously kissing their parents goodbye, older students watching what was happening with boredom in their eyes, an older witch sniffling as she held a tall boy who seemed to be ever so embarrassed at the scene. It was lovely and heart-warming and beautiful but that wasn't what Lily wanted to see, no. She was looking for three people whom she'd missed the whole summer, three people she couldn't spend another second without and would gladly stomp over everyone in the platform to find – she was looking for Dorcas Meadowes, Marlene McKinnon and Mary MacDonald, the missing ¾ of the maraudettes (it had to be done, though only privately, of course – Marls' idea) and the closest friends she had in the whole wide world. Her girls.

It was unknown even to them how the friendships had come to be but they didn't care in the slightest; they'd just been drawn to each other from the very beginning and even if Lily loved them all equally, she couldn't help but realize that they were the strangest group one could ever see. They were all very different physically, yes, but it was more than that – their personalities were opposites, her views of the world usually as compatible as fire and ice and yet they couldn't be separated, couldn't be kept apart. First there was Dorcas, sweet Dorcas, all big brown doe-eyes and straight dark hair; a petite little doll who could trick anyone into thinking she was an angel. With the strongest maternal instincts Lily had ever seen and a rather judgmental attitude towards everyone (including herself), one couldn't step out of Dorcas' Line Of Acceptable Behavior without being yelled at as if they were two year olds. But she was the first to offer a shoulder to cry on, even if she'd later tell the redhead that she was crying over nothing, and the one of the three that Lily held closest to her heart. Then there was Marlene, blonde hair and bright blue eyes, the ice to her fire, the fire to her ice – they were two different pieces of the same person, two halves that thankfully met and created a whole. If one said right, the other said left; if one said hello, the other said goodbye. And yet, Lily wouldn't trade the blonde for the world, even if she was loud and got on her nerves far too often. Marlene was the sister Lily never had. And last but not least, Mary MacDonald. With her long dark hair and beautiful tanned skin that Lily truthfully envied, she was the one to call the Prefect out on her bullshit and the one that always got them into yet another pointless argument; it could be about rice or about politics, it didn't really matter. Still, she was Lily's person – the one she could lay with wordlessly at four in the morning and know her friend understood everything. When in doubt, when in fear of judgment and cliché advice, Lily would turn to Mary.

They'd met by chance one night in the beginning of their Hogwarts careers; Marlene had been her naturally chatty self and started talking to Lily like they'd known each other for years, Dorcas had quickly gotten herself into the conversation and, when telly was mentioned, Mary had joined them as well – quickly talking about everything she enjoyed watching and informing the young blonde on the ways of muggles. It had been something unexpected but, call it fate if you wish (and Lily would most likely say it was), a life-long friendship was formed. And they wouldn't have it any other way, even if they didn't always get along.

From first year, the two Gryffindors and the two Ravenclaws had been joined to the hip; sneaking into each other's dormitories, staying up after curfew and visiting during the holidays but, for the first time in six years, they had spent the whole summer apart – they'd all been travelling with their families and Lily had been at home, trying to get her head together after the mess that had been the previous school year. So, it wasn't unusual that the redhead stood there, wide-eyed as she tried to see her friends in the middle of the crowd; desperate to hug them, all of them. Luck, however, was determined to make things difficult and after failing to see the girls, a rather blue Lily put away her trunk and climbed onto the train, feet dragging and shoulders saggy. Instead of trying to find acquaintances and make small talk for the whole trip, the girl settled for some well-deserved silence; entering an empty compartment and plopping down on her new seat, feet up, tucked under her bum. Her head rested gently against the window, eyes closing as the witch allowed herself to get lost in her thoughts again – teeth grazing her bottom lip as the train began to move under her.

Yes, last year had been a mess, but Lily couldn't help but admit that it was mostly her fault. Being dropped in an entirely new universe had been difficult, tricky, especially for the tiny, chubby, round-faced redhead she once had been; scared that she wouldn't be accepted in this new world, that the rug would be pulled from underneath her feet and someone would say that she wasn't really a witch. She did what any little girl would have done: Lily put up walls. She was quick to break them down and let people in; the witch couldn't help but love completely and passionately, to give those she cared about everything that she was. But for the rest of the world? It was no surprise that they thought she had spent the last six years with a pole shoved up her arse. They saw her as a strict know-it-all who loved to ruin everyone's fun; rule-obsessed, book-wormish and ever so studious. Granted, that was the image that Lily had so desperately projected onto the world but it couldn't be further from the truth - she was fire, inside and out, a force of nature who loved making sure people played by the rules so that she could go and break them behind her back. She was rage, passion, love, hypocrisy and pretention, stubbornness and laughter; she wasn't cold. But people talked and at some point, Lily stopped caring enough to change that perception. She just went with it.

The mess that was fifth year had to do with that; with the imaginary pole shoved in her arsehole, her fear of failure, and her passion for Severus Snape. She'd spent the whole year on edge, snapping at people left and right, trying to study for her OWLs and finding the task impossible. If you add hormones and a best friend who had decided to dig a metaphorical hole in the ground and stick himself in it, she had been a bomb ticking away, waiting to burst at the tiniest provocation. That sunny afternoon by the lake had been that, the detonator of a whole year of suppressed emotions, and James Potter had been faced with the worst side of Lily, something she wasn't proud of in the slightest. It was a widely known fact around Hogwarts that Lily and James bickered, argued, and debated anything and everything. It was also a widely known fact that the rumour mill moved quickly and people soon decided that they despised each other; something that was nothing but bollocks. They had similar personalities, they both enjoyed heated discussions and so it wasn't strange that they got into them often - in fact, Lily was fond of the marauders and their pranks, with the exception of some that she'd thought had gone a bit too far. But Hogwarts had decided that Miss Evans and the Marauders were enemies, mutual hatred and everything, and the outburst after their OWLs was all the confirmation they needed.

To sum it up, and even if she grumbled as the thought popped into her head, Lily felt guilty for the way she'd treated James. She wasn't sorry for standing up for Severus, she would never be sorry for that, but she felt a weight in her chest at the horrible things she said and, more than anything, the way she'd said them. It wasn't fair and it wasn't right, but she'd been too proud to say something last year; having avoided Potter for the remainder of their time at the castle the best that she could. But things had changed over the summer, her view of the world had shifted as days went by and, thankfully, puberty had hit the girl in the face with such strength that she barely saw it happening.

As her friends changed and matured into beautiful young women, Lily seemed to have been stuck with a child's body and a round face that was just a bit too chubby for her liking; she'd been the flat-chested, short little girl while everyone else had blossomed into something more. Now, however, it would appear that it was her turn to change – she'd finally grown herself some breasts, grown a few inches and lost the baby fat she had always been pained with. It had never been her biggest issue, her looks, but in a school full of handsome boys where everyone dated everyone, it wasn't a very good feeling to be left out. Not that Lily hadn't been on a few dates, which she had, but she wasn't pretty like her friends. She was just herself, plain old Lily. Still, it was rather amazing how a few months could do so much for a girl's confidence, especially after it had been torn so viciously the year prior.

It had been more than just anger that had flooded her when her best friend had called her a mudblood; it had been sadness, pain, and shame – a shame that she couldn't help but feel, knowing that no matter how great of a witch she was, the world around her – her world – would always think of her as inferior, as tainted, as if the blood that ran through her veins wasn't exactly the same as her peers'. It helped her understand, however, that trying so, so hard wasn't going to do her any good. Suddenly, Lily didn't feel as if she had to be perfect anymore: she was a skilled witch, a good prefect and a great human being – she didn't need to walk around, turning her nose up at people and things just for the sake of being proper, better, the best. After losing Severus and finding herself, her true self, she'd finally understood that maybe, just maybe, being the person that she was would push her life forward. She was ready to give it a shot, in the very least.

The compartment door opening caused the girl to jump in her seat; eyes flashing open and heart pounding in her chest - she hadn't expected company, not really, and being violently pulled from her thoughts always managed to annoy her. The person who entered through said door, however, was an even bigger startle than the physical scare: James Potter stood there looking at her in all his glory.

"Oh, hello, Potter," she turned her face slightly, trying to find the rest of the marauders – they always travelled in a pack, it would appear, but the boy was alone this time. Strange, to say the least, but then again she was without her girls as well. "D'you need anything?"

The black-haired boy ran long fingers through unruly dark curls, flashing her a smile before his now deeper voice reached her ears. "Mind if I sit? I lost the boys somewhere."

"Sure." It was the only word that slipped past her lips after a second's hesitation; bringing her feet down and eyeing the boy as subtly as she could, taking in the fact that she hadn't been the only one to change during the break. James had always been tall, much taller than her (not that that was a very difficult thing to accomplish) but now he would most likely tower over her; broad shoulders and a slight tan on his skin. He wore muggle clothes; some jeans that hung low on his hips, and a dark t-shirt, and she had to admit that all those young girls who squealed over the Quidditch captain had a reason to do so. He was a sight to look at, no doubt about it. And even if Lily had no interest in him whatsoever, she had a good set of eyes on her face and was very aware of the fact that he was one of the most attractive boys at Hogwarts. What a shame.

He sat down across from her, studying her as she studied him only to clear his throat and cross his legs; leaning back against his seat. "So... How was your summer, Evans?"

It dawned on her as she ran her fingers through her mess of a hair that while life was filled with small talk, especially when it came to acquaintances from school, she and Potter had never quite engaged in it. They had rows over some matters and discussed everything rather loudly over breakfast but they'd never truly stopped to ask each other mindless things. They knew nothing about each other, apart from what they could see when the other wasn't looking. It hadn't been a conscious decision, at least she didn't think so, but it was a fact, and Lily couldn't see a better chance to change things than this train ride. The words, however, pushed past pink lips before she could stop them – causing cheeks to blush ever so slightly and a silent curse to echo through her mind. "Better than the end of last year, that's for sure."

James seemed as unconformable with her reply as she was, shifting in his seat and locking eyes with her; hazel and green. "Yeah... I'm sorry about that. I didn't get the chance to properly apologise last year. Things got a bit out of control."

"Thanks, Potter. I'm sorry too, for the way I spoke to you. But, anyway, how was your summer?" A smile creeped its way onto her face, teeth catching her bottom lip and slowly chewing on soft flesh.

"It was brilliant, really. Mostly filled with Quidditch." Their eyes hadn't broken from their gaze, even if the words they spoke were slightly awkward; tentative at the face of an unknown interaction - it was something different and Lily could see that neither were entirely sure of what would happen.

With a wrinkle of her nose the redhead continued, bringing a leg up and trapping it under her body. "I wish I could fly back home, muggles aren't too used to see people mounting broomsticks."

"You fly?" His eyebrows shot up, a spark of interest flashing through his eyes. This was an interesting side of Evans that he wouldn't have guessed; she'd been rubbish during their flying lessons in first year, having fallen on her arse more than once.

A snort escaped her mouth and Lily had to fight the urge to stick her tongue out at him, slightly insulted that he thought she couldn't do something as simple as fly around on a piece of wood. " Oh, 'f course I can. Marlene wouldn't have it any other way, really, she taught me over the holidays in second year. I'm rather good, or so she says. This was the first summer in ages that I didn't get to play a proper Quidditch match."

"Where have you been hiding those skills, Evans? If you're so good, we're missing a beater, a chaser and a seeker on the team. You should try out." His words were charming but his eyes dripped with something else; it was more than just friendly conversation, it was a challenge. Lily never said no to a challenge.

"Maybe I will. Someone has to show you that you're not the best Quidditch player at this school, I could be the one to make the sacrifice. Merlin knows someone has to."

"We'll see."

"Yes, we will."

Something started, something Lily couldn't quite pinpoint – they were both smirking, both burning with the challenge, both aware that their conversation was flowing far more easily than they'd ever expected. And, perhaps most importantly, they were both enjoying themselves tremendously.

Maybe James Potter was a far more interesting person than she'd ever imagined him to be.

And the conversation continued.


End file.
